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[EN] Experimental results from a study on the evolution of gas jets ejected through the orifices of a pre-chamber in a heavy-duty optical engine are presented. The work examines conditions without fuel inside the main-chamber, which helps to describe the dynamics of the ejected gas jets without the interference of subsequent combustion in the main-chamber. Experimental diagnostics consist of high-speed visible intensified imaging and low-speed infrared imaging. Additionally a one-dimensional gas jet model is used to characterize the spatial distribution of the ejected flow, including parameters such as tip penetration, which are then validated based on experimental results. Different stages in the ejection of pre-chamber jets are identified, with chemical activity restricted to a maximum distance of 5 to 10 orifice diameters downstream of the orifice as indicated by the recorded visible radiation. Sensitivity of cycle-to-cycle variations in pre-chamber jet development to the air-to-fuel ratio in the pre-chamber observed in the experiments is in most part attributed to the variations in the timing of combustion initiation in the pre-chamber. The influence of the ejection flow on the penetration of the gas jet on a cycle-tocycle basis is presented using the one-dimensional model. The one-dimensional model also indicates that the local flow exhibits highest sensitivity to operating conditions during the start of ejection until the timing when maximum flow is attained. Differences that exist during the decreasing mass-flow ejection time-period tend to smear out in part due to the transient slowdown of the ejection process

[EN] Pre-chamber spark-ignition (PCSI), either fueled or non-fueled, is a leading concept with the potential to enable diesel-like efficiency in medium-duty (MD) and heavy-duty (HD) natural gas (NG) engines. However, the inadequate scientific base and simulation tools to describe/predict the underlying processes governing PCSI systems is one of the key barriers to market penetration of PCSI for MD/HD NG engines. To this end, experiments were performed in a heavy-duty, optical, single-cylinder engine fitted with an active fueled PCSI module. The spatial and temporal progress of ignition and subsequent combustion of lean-burn natural gas using PCSI system were studied using optical diagnostic imaging and heat release analysis based on main-chamber and pre-chamber pressure measurements. Optical diagnostics involving simultaneous infrared (IR) and high-speed (30 kfps) broadband and filtered OH* chemiluminescence imaging are used to probe the combustion process. Following the early pressure rise in the pre-chamber, IR imaging reveals initial ejection of unburnt fuel-air mixture from the pre chamber into the main-chamber. Following this, the pre-chamber gas jets exhibit chemical activity in the vicinity of the pre-chamber region followed by a delayed spread in OH* chemiluminescence, as they continue to penetrate further into the main-chamber. The OH* signal progress radially until the pre-chamber jets merge, which sets up the limit to a first stage, jet-momentum driven, mixing-controlled (temperature field) premixed combustion. This is then followed by the subsequent deceleration of the pre-chamber jets, caused by the decrease in the driving pressure difference (AP) as well as charge entrainment, resulting in a flame front evolution, where mixing is not the only driver. Chemical-kinetic calculations probe the possibility of flame propagation or sequential auto-ignition in the second stage of combustion. Finally, key phenomenological features are then summarized so as to p

This work is focused on the study of flame stabilization and local extinction of a spray flame in an atmospheric non-swirled test rig referred to as the CORIA Rouen Spray Burner. This burner shows a double reaction front structure, with an outer laminar diffusion flame and an inner wrinkled partially-premixed flame undertaking local extinction. This unsteady phenomenon is investigated here using large-eddy simulations with a tabulated chemistry method based on steady and unsteady diffusion flamelets with heat loss. A validation of the numerical simulations is conducted first for the carrier and dispersed phase and good agreement with the experimental data is found for mean and fluctuating quantities. The present results were able to predict relevant parameters of the flame like the lift-off length and flame shape. Numerical results evidence some intermittency on the OH concentration with the presence of high values of formaldehyde indicating the existence of localized extinction in the leading edge of the flame. A detailed analysis showed the impact of droplets on the reacting layer and the existence of rich pockets quenching the flame front. Further downstream, it was shown that when the scalar dissipation rate reaches high values near the reaction zone, the flame front becomes thinner and wrinkled until it eventually quenches. The numerical results evidence that the applied tabulated chemistry method is capable of capturing the local extinction and re-ignition events occurring in the inner layer., This work was partially funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Econom´ıa y Competitividad within the frame of the CHEST (TRA2017-89139-C2-1-R) project. BSC also acknowledges the funding from the CoEC project through the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 952181. Authors acknowledge the computer resources at Marenostrum and the technical support provided by Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) (IM-2019-3-0025, IM-2020-1-0017, IM-2020-2-0026). Authors also thank the access to the CRSB database kindly provided by Prof. B. Renou., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (author's final draft)

This is the author's version of a work that was accepted for publication in International Journal of Engine Research. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published as https://doi.org/10.1177/1468087419864469., [EN] This investigation analyses the structure of spray A from engine combustion network (ECN), which is representative of diesel-like sprays, by means of large eddy simulations and an unsteady flamelet progress variable combustion model. A very good agreement between modelled and experimental measurements is obtained for the inert spray that supports further analysis. A parametric variation in oxygen concentration is carried out in order to describe the structure of the flame and how it is modified when mixture reactivity is changed. The most relevant trends for the flame metrics, ignition delay and lift-off length are well-captured by the simulations corroborating the suitability of the model for this type of configuration. Results show that the morphology of the flame is strongly affected by the boundary conditions in terms of the reactive scalar spatial fields and Z-T maps. The filtered instantaneous fields provided by the simulations allow investigation of the structure of the flame at the lift-off length, whose positioning shows low fluctuations, and how it is affected by turbulence. It is evidenced that small ignition kernels appear upstream and detached from the flame that eventually merge with its base in agreement with experimental observations, leading to state that auto-ignition plays a key role as one of the flame stabilization mechanisms of the flame.

[EN] The use of alternative fuels in compression ignition engines, either completely or partially replacing the conventional ones, have potential to reduce pollutant emissions (especially soot). However, some of these fuels do not provide good ignition features under diesel engine like conditions, which affects engine efficiency. Thus, in order to extend the application of alternative fuels, the current research proposes the use of a laser induced plasma ignition system to assist on the combustion of blends of fuels with less reactivity than pure diesel. This fuel has been chosen as the base component and it has been mixed with gasoline (as the low-reactivity fuel) in different ratios as an example of fuels with very different reactivity properties. Tests have been performed in a single cylinder optically accessible engine, allowing deeper study of combustion development and soot formation. For different in-cylinder conditions and fuel blends, the effect of laser induced plasma ignition system has been evaluated at different crank angle degrees and locations inside the combustion chamber. The application of these blends under low-reactivity engine conditions show that combustion efficiency is dramatically affected. However, the study proves that it is possible to control blend ignition delay and flame lift-off length by means of laser induced plasma. Besides, using the proper ignition system configuration, combustion characteristics similar to those of diesel fuel autoignition can be achieved for high gasoline substitution rates. They lead to similar energy release rates, which confirms that diesel-gasoline blends can reach a combustion efficiency close to pure diesel, while a strong reduction on soot formation was also obtained. These results open a door to efficiency improvement and pollutant reduction by means of a highly tunable ignition of alternative fuel blends.

This is the author's version of a work that was accepted for publication in International Journal of Engine Research. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published as https://doi.org/10.1177/1468087419864203., [EN] The role of nozzle diameter on diesel combustion is studied by performing computational fluid dynamics calculations of Spray A and Spray D from the Engine Combustion Network. These are well-characterized single-hole sprays in a quiescent environment chamber with thermodynamic conditions representative of modern diesel engines. First, the inert spray evolution is described with the inclusion of the concept of mixing trajectories and local residence time into the analysis. Such concepts enable the quantification of the mixing rate, showing that it decreases with the increase in nozzle diameter. In a second step, the reacting spray evolution is studied focusing on the local heat release rate distribution during the auto-ignition sequence and the quasi-steady state. The capability of a well-mixed-based and a flamelet-based combustion model to predict diesel combustion is also assessed. On one hand, results show that turbulence-chemistry interaction has a profound effect on the description of the reacting spray evolution. On the other hand, the mixing rate, characterized in terms of the local residence time, drives the main changes introduced by the increase of the nozzle diameter when comparing Spray A and Spray D.

[EN] Engine fuel spray modeling still remains a challenge, especially in the dense near-nozzle region. This region is difficult to experimentally access and also to model due to the complex and rapid liquid and gas interaction. Modeling approaches based on Lagrangian particle tracking have failed in this area, while Eulerian modeling has proven to be particularly useful. Interface resolved methods are still limited to primary atomization academic configurations due to excessive computational requirements. To overcome those limitations, the single-fluid diffuse interface model known as Sigma-Y, arises as a single-framework for spray simulations. Under the assumption of scale separation at high Reynolds and Weber numbers, liquid dispersion is modeled as turbulent mixing of a variable density flow. The concept of surface area density is used for representing liquid structures, regardless of the complexity of the interface. In this work, a LES based implementation of the Sigma-Y model in the OpenFOAM CFD library is applied to simulate the ECN Spray A configuration. Model assessment is performed for both near- and far-field spray development regions using different experimental diagnostics available from ECN database. The CFD model is able to capture near-nozzle fuel mass distribution and, after Sigma equation constant calibration, interfacial surface area. Accurate predictions of spray far-field evolution in terms of liquid and vapor tip penetration and local velocity can be simultaneously achieved. Model accuracy is lower when compared to mixture fraction axial evolution, despite radial distribution profiles are well captured.

[EN] One source of low-speed pre-ignition in turbocharged gasoline direct injection engines is the presence of oil droplets in the combustion chamber. In this study, oil droplets released due to the piston reciprocating motion, have been quantified as function of oil viscosity and engine speed, by means of a motored test rig under ambient pressure conditions. Oil droplets were collected using a sandwich-like support and absorbing paper. An image processing methodology was developed to identify critical regions of the piston prone to the appearance of oil. Results show that oil is scrapped by the piston rings and released to the combustion chamber in zones transverse to the piston pin, at speeds as low as 500 rpm. Oil viscosity does not have a determining effect on the oil amount reaching the combustion chamber, while engine speed greatly increases this phenomenon, with a critical point at 2500 rpm and oil temperature of 80 degrees C.

[EN] Multiple injection strategies have increased their capabilities along with the evolution of injection system technologies up to the point that nowadays it is possible to inject eight different pulses, permitting to improve the engine performance, and consequently, emissions. The present work was realized for two simplified strategies: a pilot-main and a main-post, in order to analyze the influence of an auxiliary pulse on the main and otherwise, in reactive conditions for two pilot/post quantities and four hydraulic dwell times. The study was carried out by employing two optical techniques: diffused back-illumination with flame bandpass chemiluminescence for measuring soot, represented by soot-maps distribution, and single-pass schlieren for ignition delay (ID). Furthermore, a novel methodology for decoupling the start of combustion (SOC) of the second pulse was developed and successfully validated. From the ignition delay results, it was found for all test points that the pilot injection enhanced conditions, which promote a faster ignition of the main pulse, also at higher chamber temperatures, all conditions presented a separate combustion event for each injection. In emission terms, soot increased in the pilot-main strategies compared to its single injection case, as well as, in conditions that promote faster-premixed combustion.

[EN] Spray A from ECN, representative of diesel-like sprays, is modelled in the frame of Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) with a Dynamic Structure (DS) turbulence model in conjunction with an Unsteady Flamelet Progress Variable (UFPV) combustion model. In this work, the spray flow field is first calibrated under inert conditions against experimental data. In a second step, the reactive spray is simulated in order to describe the flame internal structure when varying ambient temperature. The model shows a good agreement with experimental results and describes the trends observed in flame global parameters, such as ignition delay (ID) and lift-offlength (LOL). Low fluctuations are observed in LOL positioning revealing an intense chemical activity at the height of the base of the flame, which stabilizes the reaction in spite of the turbulent fluctuations. The analysis of the LES instantaneous fields shows how ignition kernels appear upstream of the base of the flame, clearly detached from the reaction zone, and grow and merge with the main flame in agreement with previous reported experimental and modelling results. The ambient temperature has a clear impact on the flame structure described by the model and the whole set of results reveal that in the frame of LES simulations the UFPV model is suitable for the calculation of diesel flames.

[EN] Featured Application This work contributes to the understanding of the macroscopic characteristics of the spray as well as to the evolution of the combustion process for alternative fuels. All these fuels have been studied under the same operating conditions than diesel therefore the comparison can be made directly, leaving in evidence that some fuels can achieve a similar behavior to diesel in terms of auto ignition but avoiding one of the biggest disadvantages of diesel such as the soot formation. Moreover, the quantification of characteristic parameters such as ignition delay, liquid length, vapor penetration and flame lift-off length represent the most important data to adjust and subsequently validate the computational models that simulate the spray evolution and combustion development of these alternative fuels inside the combustion chamber. The stringent emission regulations have motivated the development of cleaner fuels as diesel surrogates. However, their different physical-chemical properties make the study of their behavior in compression ignition engines essential. In this sense, optical techniques are a very effective tool for determining the spray evolution and combustion characteristics occurring in the combustion chamber. In this work, quantitative parameters describing the evolution of diesel-like sprays such as liquid length, spray penetration, ignition delay, lift-off length and flame penetration as well as the soot formation were tested in a constant high pressure and high temperature installation using schlieren, OH* chemiluminescence and diffused back-illumination extinction imaging techniques. Boundary conditions such as rail pressure, chamber density and temperature were defined using guidelines from the Engine Combustion Network (ECN). Two paraffinic fuels (dodecane and a renewable hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO)) and two oxygenated fuels (methylal identified as OME(1)and a blend of oxymethylene ethers, identified as OMEx) were tested

[EN] The combustion process of the Engine Combustion Network (ECN) Spray A and Spray D is studied over a wide range of ambient temperatures from 750 K to 900 K. With nominal diameters of 89.4 ¿m for the Spray A and 190.3 ¿m for the Spray D, these n-dodecane sprays are representative for light- and heavy-duty compression ignition engine applications, respectively. Computational Fluid Dynamics calculations are carried out using a Lagrangian parcel Eulerian fluid approach in a Reynolds averaged Navier¿Stokes framework. For the Spray D reference condition, two sub-grid flame structure assumptions and the effect of turbulence chemistry interaction (TCI) on autoignition and flame structure at quasi-steady state are assessed in the context of a well-mixed and an Unsteady Flamelet Progress Variable (UFPV) combustion model. After that, UFPV approach is used to evaluate combustion behavior for the different ambient temperature conditions. Reference condition results show that both well-mixed and flamelet assumptions lead to a similar autoignition sequence. In terms of ignition delay time, TCI plays an important role, within the UFPV model, in reproducing the experimental trend observed for the increase in nozzle diameter. In terms of lift-off length, the well-mixed model is observed to predict a longer value compared to the flamelet-based sub-grid assumption. Lastly, the analysis of the autoignition sequence and flame structure at quasi-steady state is also extended over the whole range of ambient temperature conditions.

This is the author's version of a work that was accepted for publication in International Journal of Engine Research. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published as https://doi.org/10.1177/1468087419882500., [EN] Diesel spray modeling is a multi-scale problem with complex interactions between different flow regions, that is, internal nozzle flow, near-nozzle region and developed spray, including evaporation and combustion. There are several modeling approaches that have proven particularly useful for some spray regions although they have struggled at other areas, while Eulerian modeling has shown promise in dealing with all characteristics at a reasonable computational effort for engineering calculations. In this work, the sigma -Y single-fluid diffuse-interface model, based on scale separation assumptions at high Reynolds and Weber numbers, is used to simulate the engine combustion network Sprays A and D within a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes turbulence modeling approach. The study is divided into two parts. First of all, the larger diameter Spray D is modeled from the nozzle flow till evaporative spray conditions, obtaining successful prediction of numerous spray metrics, paying special attention to the near-nozzle region where spray dispersion and interfacial surface area can be validated against measurements conducted at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory, including both the ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering and the X-ray radiography. Afterwards, an analysis of the modeling predictions is made in comparison with previous results obtained for Spray A, considering the nozzle geometry effects in the modeling behavior.

[EN] This study presents the application of an existing interactive application for teaching spray dynamics in engineering degrees. The model is based on spray momentum conservation and can be used to evaluate both fuel-air mixing characteristics in inert conditions as well as diffusion flame performance once combustion takes place. During a dedicated computer-lab session, the students perform parametric studies regarding the influence of the nozzle outlet diameter, the combustion chamber density and the spray cone opening angle on the mixing process, characterized by the maximum stoichiometric length. Later on, the effect of the combustion reaction on the mixing field is evaluated. The results are analyzed taking as a reference to the theoretical development made by Spalding and Schlichting for diffusion gas jets. The outcomes of several years using this technique are reported.

[EN] Even though different optical techniques have been applied on 'Spray A' in-flame soot quantification within Engine Combustion Network in recent years, little information can be found for soot temperature measurement. In this study, a combined extinction and radiation methodology has been developed with different wavelengths and applied on quasi-steady Diesel flame to obtain the soot amount and temperature distribution simultaneously by considering self-absorption issues. All the measurements were conducted in a constant pressure combustion chamber. The fuel as well as the operating conditions and the injector used were chosen following the guidelines of the Engine Combustion Network. Uncertainty caused by wavelength selection was evaluated. Additionally, temperature-equivalence ratio maps were constructed by combining the measurements with a 1D spray model. Temperature fields during the quasi-steady combustion phase show peak temperatures around the limit of the radiation field, in agreement with a typical diffusion flame structure. Effects of different operating parameters on soot formation and temperature were investigated. Soot temperature increases dramatically with oxygen concentration, but it shows much less sensitivity with ambient temperature and injection pressure, which on the other hand have significant effects on soot production. (C) 2019 The Combustion Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[EN] Encouraged by the diversity of n-dodecane chemical mechanisms currently available, this investigation focuses on analysing the impact of using different fuel oxidation schemes on the diesel-like Engine Combustion Network (ECN) Spray A flame structure, simulated by means of an Unsteady Flamelet Progress Variable (UFPV) combustion model. The present research discusses systematically the characteristics of four n-dodecane chemical mechanisms in perfectly stirred reactors and counterflow laminar diffusion flames (flamelets) before the final evaluation in turbulent reacting sprays in order to describe the effects of adding different physical levels of complexity to the ignition of the mixtures. In addition, this analysis is complemented with the description of the effect of the boundary conditions on the flame structure. Results evidence the extreme importance of the low temperature chemistry including the period for which the cool flame extends. The different prediction of this stage between mechanisms leads to noticeable different laminar flame structures which in turn produce substantially distinct turbulent flames, especially in the vicinity of the lift-off length (LOL) in terms of reactivity and positioning in the Z-T map. Finally, simulations confirm the strong effect of the boundary conditions, especially for the ambient temperature, on the ignitable mixtures which directly impacts on the soot precursors formation. (C) 2019 The Combustion Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[EN] Even though studies on split-injection strategies have been published in recent years, there are still many remaining questions about how the first injection affects the mixing and combustion processes of the second one by changing the dwell time between both injection events or by the first injection quantity. In this article, split-injection diesel sprays with different injection strategies are investigated. Visualization of n-dodecane sprays was carried out under both non-reacting and reacting operating conditions in an optically accessible two-stroke engine equipped with a single-hole diesel injector. High-speed Schlieren imaging was applied to visualize the spray geometry development, while diffused backgroundillumination extinction imaging was applied to quantify the instantaneous soot production (net result of soot formation and oxidation). For non-reacting conditions, it was found that the vapor phase of second injection penetrates faster with a shorter dwell time and independently of the duration of the first injection. This could be explained in terms of onedimensional spray model results, which provided information on the local mixing and momentum state within the flow. Under reacting conditions, interaction between the second injection and combustion recession of the first injection is observed, resulting in shorter ignition delay and lift-off compared to the first injection. However, soot production behaves differently with different injection strategies. The maximum instantaneous soot mass produced by the second injection increases with a shorter dwell time and with longer first injection duration.

[EN] This paper describes a radiation model for diesel sprays that can predict the heat losses based on spray characteristics to the spray plume due to radiation. The model is based on three sub-models: spray model, soot model and radiation model. The spray model is a one-dimensional model that simulates the axial and radial distribution of a fuel spray for each instant. The soot model is a one-dimensional tool, which is based on formation and oxidation processes calculating the axial and radial soot concentration profile for each instant. The output results of the two sub-models are used as input information for the radiation model, which obtains the radiation heat transfer values for a diesel flame. The experimental measurements used to adjust the different constants and to validate the sub-models were performed in a high-pressure high-temperature vessel using three different optical techniques: Schlieren, to obtain spray penetration, Diffused Back-Illumination technique (DBI) for the soot concentration and the 2-color method for calculating the soot temperature and concentration. The radiant fraction shows values from 0.11% to 0.43% with respect to the total energy of the fuel depending on the operating condition. Taking into account the different assumptions taken for modeling the spray radiation, these results are consistent with those obtained in the literature, in which the radiation was characterized under similar conditions.

[EN] Computer¿aided¿learning has been found to improve notably the learning efficiency as compared with classical teaching. In this study, an interactive Matlab application has been developed to be used when teaching combustion thermochemistry in engineering degrees. The use of this tool in practical sessions allows the students to concentrate on understanding the links between the boundary conditions of a combustion process and the corresponding outputs in terms of species composition and temperature. Moreover, the students can check the differences between the results obtained from a complex calculation (with the interactive tool) and those obtained by means of the simplified calculations performed during the theoretical lessons and written exams. The analysis of the outcomes after several years using this tool revealed that the students are generally satisfied with the practical session, and the analysis of the marks confirms the robustness of the methodology proposed

[EN] Because of the challenge of meeting stringent emissions regulations for internal combustion engines, some advanced low temperature combustion modes have been raised in recent decades to improve combustion efficiency. Therefore, detailed understanding and capability for accurate prediction of in-flame soot processes under such low sooting conditions are becoming necessary. Nowadays, a lot of investigations have been carried out to quantify in-flame soot in Diesel sprays under high sooting conditions by means of different optical techniques. However, no information of soot quantification can be found for sooting/non-sooting critical conditions. In current study, the instantaneous soot production in a two-stroke optical engine under low sooting conditions has been measured by means of a Diffused back-illumination extinction technique (DBI) and two-color method (2C) simultaneously. The fuels used were n-dodecane and n-heptane, which have been injected separately though two different injectors equipped with single-hole nozzles. A large cycle-to-cycle variation on soot production can be observed under such operating conditions, however the in-cylinder heat release traces were quite repeatable. It is the same with the well-known trends of soot amount to operating conditions that the probability of sooting cycles increases with higher ambient temperature, higher ambient density and lower injection pressure. Both techniques present a pretty good agreement on soot amount when the peak of KL value is close to 1. However, the KL value of two-color method becomes bigger than that of DBI and the difference increases with lower sooting conditions.

[EN] Emission regulations together with the need of more fuel-efficient engines have driven the development of promising combustion concepts in compression ignition (CI) engines. Most of these combustion concepts, lead towards a lean and low temperature combustion potentially suitable to achieve lower emission and fuel consumption levels compared to conventional diesel combustion. In this framework, Partially Premixed Combustion (PPC) using gasoline as fuel is one of the most accepted concepts. There are numerous studies focused on studying concepts such as PPC from the emissions point of view. Nonetheless, there is a lack of knowledge regarding changes in heat transfer introduced by the use of these combustion concepts. It is worth noting that heat transfer can be considered as a key aspect behind possible engine performance improvements. Thus, the reliable estimation of this parameter is of considerable importance. Additionally, a better understanding of how events such as injection and combustion might affect heat transfer is also relevant. To gain insight into gasoline PPC heat transfer coefficient, its evolution during late compression and early expansion were studied. In particular, this work aims to analyze Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE) spatial and temporal evolution influence on heat transfer coefficient. The analysis is based on experimental TKE maps derived from Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) data. For the heat transfer coefficient estimation a modified Woschni correlation has been used. Results from several injection strategies and a reference motored case have been analyzed. It has been found that injection strategy has a considerable influence on the TKE field and hence on heat transfer coefficient evolution. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[EN] An implementation and validation of the coupled Sigma-gamma ADF model is presented in this work for reacting Diesel spray CFD simulations under a RANS turbulence modeling approach. An Approximated Diffusion Flamelet (ADF) model Michel et al. (2008) implemented in the OpenFOAM CFD open-source library by Winklinger (2014)15 fed with the spray description, i.e. mixing formation process, provided by the Sigma-gamma Eulerian atomization model Garcia-Oliver et al. (2013). In the present investigation, the Engine Combustion Network Spray A reference configuration is used for validation. Specifically, the model can provide accurate predictions of typical reacting spray metrics, such as the ignition delay and the lift-off length. Moreover, the internal structure is also fairly reproduced in terms of quasi-steady spatial distribution of formaldehyde and OH, related with low and high temperature reactions respectively. Additionally, modeling results have been compared to recent Particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements Garcia-Oliver et al. (2017) under both inert and reacting conditions. Flow response to heat release is quantitatively predicted by the model, both in terms of local velocity increase as well as radial dilation. The model has been used to understand combustion-induced reduction in entrainment, in particular around the lift-off length location. Flow confinement does not seem to influence the global flame behaviour, even though some changes in the local flow hint can be observed when moving from an open to a closed domain. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[EN] Visualization of single-hole nozzles into quiescent ambient has been used extensively in the literature to characterize spray mixing and combustion. However in-cylinder flow may have some meaningful impact on the spray evolution. In the present work, visualization of direct diesel injection spray under both non-reacting and reacting operating conditions was conducted in an optically accessible two-stroke engine equipped with a single-hole injector. Two different high-speed imaging techniques, Schlieren and UV-Light Absorption, were applied here to quantify vapor penetration for non-reacting spray. Meanwhile, Mie-scattering was used to measure the liquid length. As for reacting conditions, Schlieren and OH* chemiluminescence were simultaneously applied to obtain the spray tip penetration and flame lift-off length under the same TDC density and temperature. Additionally, PIV was used to characterize in-cylinder flow motion. Results were compared with those from the Engine Combustion Network database obtained under quiescent ambient conditions in a high pressure high temperature vessel. Because of the air flow induced by piston movement, in-cylinder conditions in the two-stroke engine during the spray injection are highly unsteady, which has a significant impact on the spray development and interference on the spray visualization. From the comparison with quiescent data from the Engine Combustion Network, air flow induced by piston movement was found to slow down tip penetration. Moreover, both ignition delay and lift-off length under unsteady flow conditions show less sensitivity with ambient temperature than that of quasi-steady conditions.

[EN] Seven different chemical kinetic mechanisms for n-dodecane, two detailed and five reduced, have been evaluated under Engine Combustion Network (ECN) thermodynamic conditions by comparison to experimental measurements in a Rapid Compression-Expansion Machine (RCEM). The target ECN conditions are imposed at Top Dead Center (TDC), which cover a wide range of temperatures (from 850 K to 1000 K), oxygen molar fractions (0.21 and 0.15) and equivalence ratios (0.8, 0.9 and 1), while the pressure is fixed to keep a constant density at TDC equal to 22.8 kg/m(3). The results obtained have been used to validate the chemical kinetic simulations, which have been performed with CHEMKIN, by comparing both cool flames and high temperature ignition delays, as well as the heat released in each stage of the combustion process in case of having a two-stage ignition pattern. The experimental results show good agreement with the chemical kinetic simulations. In fact, the mean relative deviation in ignition delay between experiments and simulations among all the chemical mechanisms is equal to 18.0% (3 CAD) for both cool flames and high temperature ignition. In general, closer correspondence has been obtained for the ignition delay referred to the high-temperature stage of the process, being the cool flames phenomenon more difficult to reproduce. Moreover, the differences between the reduced mechanisms and the most detailed one have been analyzed, concluding that the enhanced specific reaction rates of the most reduced mechanisms cause differences not only on the ignition delays, but also on the Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) behavior and on the heat released during cool flames. (C) 2017 The Combustion Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[EN] A detailed study on the spray local flow and flame structure has been performed by means of PIV and laser-sheet LIF techniques under Diesel spray conditions. Operating conditions were based on Engine Combustion Network recommendations. A consistent comparison of inert and reacting axial velocity fields has produced quantitative information on the effect of heat release on the local flow. Local axial velocity has been shown to increase 50-60% compared to the inert case, while the combustion-induced radial expansion of the spray has been quantified in terms of a 0.9-2.1 mm radius increase. As a result, the drop in entrainment rate has been quantified around 25% compared to the inert case. Streamline analysis also hints at a reduced entrainment under reacting conditions. A 1D spray model under reacting condition has been used, which confirms the modifications obtained in the main flow metrics when moving from inert to reacting conditions. When comparing the flow evolution with the flame structure, little effect of chemical activity on the spray flow upstream the lift-off length has been evidenced, in spite of the presence of formaldehyde in such regions. Only downstream of the lift-off length, as defined by OH LIF, has a strong change in flow pattern been observed as a result of combustion-induced heat release. (C) 2017 The Combustion Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[EN] The reacting diesel spray structure was investigated using n-dodecane, n-heptane and one binary blend of Primary Reference Fuels (80% n-heptane and 20% iso-octane in mass) based on the existing database from previous experimental results from Schlieren imaging technique in a constant pressure combustion chamber. The spray tip velocity was derived from the derivative of tip penetration versus time. The operating conditions and the injector used (single axially-oriented hole, 89 mm-diameter) were chosen following the guidelines of the Engine Combustion Network. A 1D spray model was also applied here to support the analysis of experimental results. Parametric variations of injection pressure, ambient temperature and oxygen concentration have been performed for each fuel. Analysis of radial expansion and reacting tip velocity was performed in terms of an average spray radial increase (DR) and a constant (k) defining the tip penetration velocity. k values of reacting cases are always bigger than those from inert ones for both experimental and theoretical results. Based upon this parameter, quasi-steady tip penetration under the investigated conditions seems not to be affected by ambient temperature, oxygen content or fuel cetane number. Three cases with different fuels and similar ignition delay and lift-off length were further analyzed, which shows that the reactivity of the mixture has an effect on the transition timing from inert to reacting states, as well as on the initial penetration stages, but not on the quasi-steady phase. Apart from the similar tip velocity during quasi-steady phase, the full transient evolution of the tip is highly similar. The fact that this full overlap does not occur for other operating conditions indicates that early penetration stages are highly affected by the transient chemistry development, which largely depends on fuel cetane number.

[EN] An experimental study about the influence of the local conditions at the ignition location on combustion development of a direct injection spray is carried out in an optical engine. A laser induced plasma ignition system has been used to force the spray ignition, allowing comparison of combustion's evolution and stability with the case of conventional autoignition on the Diesel fuel in terms of ignition delay, rate of heat release, spray penetration and soot location evolution. The local equivalence ratio variation along the spray axis during the injection process was determined with a 1D spray model, previously calibrated and validated. Upper equivalence ratios limits for the ignition event of a direct injected Diesel spray, both in terms of ignition success possibilities and stability of the phenomena, could been determined thanks to application of the laser plasma ignition system. In all laser plasma induced ignition cases, heat release was found to be higher than for the autoignition reference cases, and it was found to be linked to a decrease of ignition delay, with the premixed peak in the rate of heat release curve progressively disappearing as the ignition delay time gets shorter. Ignition delay has been analyzed as a function of the laser position, too. It was found that ignition delay increases for plasma positions closer to the nozzle, indicating that the amount of energy introduced by the laser induced plasma is not the only parameter affecting combustion initiation, but local equivalence ratio plays a major role, too. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[EN] With ever-demanding emission legislations in Compression Ignition (CI) engines, new premixed combustion strategies have been developed in recent years seeking both, emissions and performance improvements. Since it has been shown that in-cylinder air flow affects the combustion process, and hence the overall engine performance, the study of swirling structures and its interaction with fuel injection are of great interest. In this regard, possible Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE) distribution changes after fuel injection may be a key parameter for achieving performance improvements by reducing in-cylinder heat transfer. Consequently, this paper aims to gain an insight into spray-swirl interaction through the analysis of in-cylinder velocity fields measured by Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) when PCCI conditions are proposed. Experiments are carried out in a single cylinder optical Diesel engine with bowl-in-piston geometry. A standard 2D PIV system is used for measuring instantaneous velocity fields in a cross section (swirl-plane) inside the combustion chamber. The test matrix is based on an advanced single pilot injection with energizing time and injection pressure sweeps at different crank-angles. Results show that swirl ratio decreases with the increase of injected fuel mass. The decrease in swirl ratio also comes with a homogenization of the flow field. This homogenization along with lower swirl ratios might decrease heat transfer to cylinder walls.

[EN] A phenomenological explanation about the autoignition propagation under HCCI conditions is developed in this paper. To do so, diffusive effects from the burned zones to the fresh mixture, pressure waves based effects and expansion effects caused by combustion are taken into account. Additionally, different Damkohler numbers have been defined and evaluated in order to characterize the phenomenon and quantify the relevance of each effect. The theoretical explanation has been evaluated by means of chemiluminescence measurements performed in a Rapid Compression Expansion Machine (RCEM), which allow to estimate the velocity of propagation of the autoignition front. The results showed that under HCCI conditions the autoignition propagation is controlled, in general, by the pressure waves established in the combustion chamber, since the characteristic time of the autoignition propagation is too short to assume the absence of pressure gradients in the chamber. Thus, the thermodynamic conditions reached behind the pressure wave promote the autoignition and explain the high propagation velocities associated to the reaction front. Besides, the results also showed that the contribution of diffusive phenomena on the propagation is negligible, since the characteristic time of diffusion is too long compared to the characteristic time of the autoignition propagation. Finally, the experimental measurements showed that the autoignition propagation is affected by a really relevant cycle-to-cycle variation. The turbulence generated by the combustion has, by definition, an aleatory behavior, leading to random heterogeneity distribution and, therefore, to somewhat random autoignition propagation.

[EN] In the present investigation the Spray A reference configuration defined in the framework of the Engine Combustion Network (ECN) has been modeled by means of an Unsteady Flamelet Model (USFM) including detailed parametric studies to evaluate the impact of ambient temperature, oxygen concentration and density. The study focuses on the analysis of the spray ignition delay, the flame lift-off length and the internal structure of the spray and flame according to the experimental information nowadays available for validating the results provided by the model. Promising results are obtained for the nominal case and also for the parametric variations (temperature, oxygen...) in terms of liquid and vapor penetration, ignition delay (ID) and lift-off length (LOL). The model permits to predict the ID and the LOL which constitute two parameters of key importance for describing the characteristics of transient reacting sprays. Valuable insight on the details of the combustion process is obtained from the analysis of formaldehyde (CH2O), acetylene (C2H2) and hydroxide (OH) species in spatial coordinates and also in the so-called phi-T maps. Important differences arise in the inner structure of the flame in the quasi-steady regime, which is closely linked to soot formation, when varying the ambient boundary conditions. Additionally, the auto-ignition process is investigated in order to describe in detail the spatial onset and propagation of combustion. Results confirm the impact of the ambient conditions on the regions of the spray where start of combustion takes place, so the relation between the local scalar dissipation rate and mixture fraction variance is also discussed. This investigation provides an insight of the potential of the USFM combustion model to describe the physical and chemical processes involved in transient spray combustion.

[EN] This work evaluates the performance of the Sigma-Y Eulerian atomization model at reproducing the internal structure of a diesel spray with a special focus on Sauter Mean Diameter (SMD) predictions. Modeling results have been compared to x-ray radiography measurements [21,24,38] which provided unique data within dense spray region. The first step corresponds to accurately reproduce the large scale spray dispersion. Among different RANS turbulence models, the standard k-s with the round jet corrected CIE value (1.60), has shown the best performance, as shown in [12]. Then, the study is devoted to the application and optimization of the predicted interphase surface density (E). In this work, a combination of CFD modeling and the statistical Design of Experiments (DOE) technique known as Response Surface Method (RSM) is applied in order to improve Sauter Mean Diameter (SMD) predictions from E equation compared to experimental measurements. In the investigation, two different optimizations are conducted for the three modeling parameters involved in the equation, following a Central Composite Design (CCD), leading to 15 simulations for each one. After that, both optimum sets of values are validated to assure the accuracy of the method and it is decided the best choice. Finally, different injection and ambient conditions are simulated, with those selected values, providing a remarkable improvement in the modeling performance.

This work contributes to the understanding of physical mechanisms that control flashback, or more appropriately combustion recession, in diesel-like sprays. Combustion recession is the process whereby a lifted flame retreats back towards the injector after end-of-injection under conditions that favor autoignition. The motivation for this study is that failure of combustion recession can result in unburned hydrocarbon emissions. A large dataset, comprising many fuels, injection pressures, ambient temperatures, ambient oxygen concentrations, ambient densities, and nozzle diameters is used to explore experimental trends for the behavior of combustion recession. Then, a reduced-order model, capable of modeling non-reacting and reacting conditions, is used to help interpret the experimental trends. Finally, the reduced-order model is used to predict how a controlled ramp-down rate-ofinjection can enhance the likelihood of combustion recession for conditions that would not normally exhibit combustion recession. In general, fuel, ambient conditions, and the spray rate-of-injection transient during the end-of-injection determine the success or failure of combustion recession. The likelihood of combustion recession increases for higher ambient temperatures and oxygen concentrations as well as for higher reactivity fuels. In the transition between high and low ambient temperature (or oxygen concentration), the behavior of combustion recession changes from spatially sequential ignition to separated, or isolated, ignition sites that eventually merge. In contradistinction to typical diesel ignition delay trends where the autoignition times are longer for increasing injection pressure, the time required for combustion recession increases with injection pressure.

[EN] A 1D3D-CFD coupled spray model is proposed in this work for the simulation of Diesel sprays under non-evaporative conditions and constant injection velocity in time. The basic idea of the model is to reduce the poor estimations of the gas velocity and droplets/gas relative velocity obtained with the standard 3D-CFD Eulerian-Lagrangian spray model, when coarse meshes are used. The coupling has been achieved in the calculation of the momentum source interaction term. General considerations, descriptions and implementation of the model in a commercial CFD code are outlined. Diesel spray simulations performed using the proposed approach have been compared with those obtained with the standard 3D-CFD, 1D models and experimental data. Encouraging results were found in terms of spray evolution when changing meshes and ambient conditions. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.